Swimming pool construction



' y 7, 1969 s; H. SHIELDS SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION Filed May 4, 1967 A IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,445,866 SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION Eugene H. Shields, 45 Hartman Drive, Hamilton Square, NJ. 08690 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 407,815, Oct. 30, 1964, now Patent No. 3,317,927. This application May 4, 1967, Ser. No. 636,043

Int. Cl. E04h 3/18; E04g 1 1 06' US. Cl. 4-172 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to swimming pool constructions of the type including a wall enclosure and a flexible sheet of vinyl or other waterproof material suspended from the upper edge of the wall and resting on a smooth sand bottom of the desired contour for containing water.

This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 407,815, filed Oct. 30, 1964, now Patent No. 3,317,- 927.

Such structures may be formed of relatively short rectangular frames having pairs of horizontally spaced, vertically extending wooden posts or studs covered on the inside by panels of wood, asbestos or other sheet material enclosing the perimeter of the pool. In such structures the straight portions of the wall are easily formed by simply assembling the frames or panels in end to end contact. However, for pools of oval shape or having portions curving either inwardly or outwardly, the wall sections of the type mentioned must be assembled along a line pattern.

To overcome the disadvantages of installing wooden or other non-metal frames of the character referred to there have been devised mated integral panels cast or otherwise formed from metal, concrete or other rigid ma terial in which the opposite surfaces of the panels for the curving portions of the wall are inclined in relation to the wall portions, instead of at right angles as in a frame having rectangular wooden studs at its ends.

Although such mated integral panels will form any desired number of wall constructions of asingle shape and size, they have the great disadvantage that builders of swimming pool constructions must carry stocks of panels or patterns for panels having end surfaces at different angles to enable them to build swimming pools of various designs and sizes, thereby greatly increasing the cost of the pool structures.

Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool construction comprising rectangular frames or panels having fiat end surfaces at right angles to their vertical wall portions, with inexpensive and positive means in cooperation with the flat surfaces referred to whereby swimming pool constructions may be made with wall portions in various general curvatures and sizes, and with no variation in the rectangular frames, irrespective of whether they are made wholly or partially from wood, metal, concrete or other material, except in heights of the panels.

Accordingly, one of the more specific objects of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool construction including a plurality of rectangular frames comprisin-g wooden top and bottom members connected by vertically extending studs of rectangular cross-sectional shape or, at least, having flat outer end surfaces at right angles to the top and bottom members, in which the opposed flat surfaces are in flat contact in the straight portions of a wall, and in the curving portions the opposed pair of frames are arranged and maintained in the curving relation by special shims of tapered or V cross-sectional shape, made of plastic, metal, Wood or other suitable material, inserted between the flat end surfaces of opposed pairs of frames forming the curving portion of the wall, and secured thereto by bolts inserted through the studs and shims, or by other suitable means;

A further, still more specific, object of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool Wall of the character referred to in which the shims are formed from sheet metal, extruded hardening plastic, or other suitable material in open V-shape in cross section, instead of in solid formation for flat contact with the outer surfaces of the end supports or portions of the wall panels and having integral wing portions or flanges for overlapping or interlocking engagement with the end supports.

A further specific object of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool wall construction comprising frames or panels made of sheet metal, plastic or other suitable material with integral vertical end supports in right angular relation with the panel portions and with the wing portions of the V-shaped shims referred to above in interlocking engagement with the integral end supports of the wall panels. In such a combination the shims may be interlocked with the end supports with such a close fit as to obviate the necessity of bolts or other fastening means. Such shims may also be interlocked in the same manner with end supports or studs made of Wood or other non-metal material.

The open V-shaped shims are light in weight, strong and easily and quickly assembled with the wall panels. They are also inexpensive, thereby rendering it economical for a builder to carry an adequate supply of the shims in various tapers and lengths together with a supply of wall panels for building swimming pool walls of various different curvatures and heights.

Other objects and advantages of my improved swimming pool construction will be apparent or pointed out in the following specification in which reference is directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a detail plan sectional view of one form of my improved tapered shim inserted between the ends of integral frames of metal, concrete or other firm material, corresponding to FIG. 12 of my application Ser. No. 407,815;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, with the fastening bolts omitted;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the shim shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail top plan view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modified form of shim for an outwardly curved wall;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing a shim for an inwardly curved wall;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing a modified tapered shim inserted between wooden or other non-metal studs for supporting the wall panels; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing a further modified shim construction, designed for interlock-ing engagement with the studs.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the frames or panels 10-a therein illustrated may be formed with integral vertical end supports 16-a, instead of studs made of wood or other non-metal material (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) the end supports connecting the integral horizonal wall portions 18a, instead of being separate panels (as also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) these wall portions have outwardly projecting bottom flanges 14a for ground support and top flanges 14-b for supporting the coping or other top members 12, as shown in my application Ser. No. 407,815. The panels 10-a may be formed integrally of metal, concrete :or other suitable material with the opposed surfaces of the integral end supporting flanged portions 16-a in right angular relation with the wall panels 18-a. The top flange 14-b may be cut away as indicated at 14-c to permit telescopic engagement of the shim 20-12 over the right angular end support portions 16-0.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shims 20-d may be formed from sheet metal or from hardening plastic material in open V-shape in cross section, instead of solid, for flat contact with the outer surfaces of the integral end supporting flanges 16-a and also with integral re turn bent portions 20-e in overlapping or interlocking contact with the inner surfaces of the supporting portions 16-a. The wing port-ions 20e may be fastened to the supports 16a by,bolts 20 projecting transversely through the wing portions, the support portions 16-a and the inner V-shaped portions of the shim 20-d and secured by nuts 24 as shown. Tapered washers 25 may be in serted between the inner surfaces of the end support portions 16-11, the bolt heads and nuts 24. However, it is possible to lit the wing portions 20-e so closely over the end support portions 16-a as to eliminate the need for the bolts 20 or other separate fastening means. A flexible water containing sheet 36 may be suspended to the top of the wall panels 18-a by any suitable means (not shown).

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3, a flange 20-f may be formed on one or both wing portions 20 as a coping support either as a substitute for, or as an addition to the flanges 14-b on the top of the wall panels 18-11.

The harm of the shim 50 shown in FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 1, which is designed for an outwardly curving wall, but is provided with an inner flange 52 for an additional support of the opposed wall sections 18-11:.

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 5 is similar to that of 'FIG 4, but is designed for an inwardly curving wall. This shim 54, while being of open V-shaped formation, is closed at its wider edge by a web portion 56 having lateral flanges 56-a extending from it sides, and is also provided at its tapered edge with wing portions 58 for interlocking engagement with the end support portions 16-a.

In FIG. 6 is shown a shim 60 having outwardly oppositely extending, lateral wing portions .62 for overlapping engagement with the edges of wooden or plastic studs 64, serving as end supports for separate wall panels 66. The flanges may be secured to the studs 64 by Hall S 68 or other suitable fastening means, the studs of a panel being connected together at top and bottom by wooden or plastic members 70 of the same cross-sectional dimensions as the studs 64.

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 6 except that the wing portions or flanges 62 have depending portions 72 at their ends for interlocking engagement with the studs 64. The depending portions 72. may be formed integrally with the flanges 62 or attached by welding or other heat treatment, as indicated at 76.

Since the means for supporting the flexible water containing sheet 36, the lateral ground supports or braces for the wall construction and the ground formation of the swimming pool construction comprises no part of the present invention, they are not illustrated nor described.

The V-shaped shims illustrated may be formed at any required taper, including a degree taper for connecting adjacent wall sections in right angular relation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have povided an economical swimming pool wall enclosure made partially or wholly from wood, metal, concrete or other suitable materials in rectangular units, and in which the curved portions can be formed in various attractive curvatures and sizes by the employment of inexpensive tapered shims between the ends of the rectangular units.

Obviously various changes or modifications of my improved swimming pool construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments of my invention shown and described are intended to be illustrative only, and restricted only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a swimming pool construction including a plurality of horizontally extending wall panels connected at their ends to vertical supports having their outer end surfaces in right angular relation with said panels and arranged in end to end relation to form a wall enclosure with, at least, a portion of said wall in generally curving formation; the opposed surfaces of the vertical supports being in normally flat contact relation but having shims of tapered cross-sectional shape inserted between each opposed pair in said curving portion for arranging and maintaining the panels in said curving formation, said shims extending from top to bottom of said supports, and said shims also have integral wing portions in overlapping contact with the outer edges of said vertical supports, and means for fixedly attaching said wing portions to said vertical end supports.

2. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which the means for fixedly attaching the wing portions to the vertical end supports consist of integral portions overlapping the inner surfaces of the end supports.

3. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which each shim if of open V-shape and with its walls formed of thin material.

4. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which both the shims and the wall panels are made of thin material.

5. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which the vertical end supports of the wall panels consist of integral right angular extending portions of the panels.

6. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which the end supports of the wall panels consist of rectangular non-metal studs, and in which the wing portions of the V-shaped shim-s consist of lateral flanges over-lapping the outer surfaces of said studs.

7. A swimming pool construction as in claim 1 in which the V-shape shims are provided with integral, return bent wing portions for overlapping engagement with the inner surfaces of the end supports of adjacent wall panels.

8. A swimming pool construction as in claim 3 in which, at least, one of the wing portions is formed with a lateral, horizontally disposed flange for supporting a horizontal top member mounted on said shim and wall panels.

9. A swimming pool construction as in claim 5 in which the Wall panels are each provided at its bottom end With an integral right angular flange for a ground support and alike integral flange at its top for supporting a top frame member,

10. A swimming pool construction as in claim '6 in which the lateral flanges are provided at their edges with right angular depending portions for interlocking engagement with the inner surfaces of the studs.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,089,010 3/1914 Pugh 52-265 1,224,443 5/1917 Brindley 52-245 5 3,233,251 2/1966 [Barrera 4172 FOREIGN PATENTS 898,460 7/1944 France. 1,385,822 12/1964 France.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

U .5. Cl. X.R. 

